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U.S. Senator targets '25 to Life' video game

21 June 2005 22:12 by James "Dela" Delahunty | 63 comments

U.S. Senator targets '25 to Life' video game Once again the heat is on developers of violent video games as Sen. Charles Schumer, a Democrat from New York has targeted 25 to Life; an upcoming game which the Senator claims makes the Grand Theft Auto games look like "Romper Room" (a popular Children's TV Show in the U.S.). The video game is due out this summer. In the game you can either choose the side of gangs or the side of the law. The Senator wants this "cop killer" game boycotted by retailers and even calls on Microsoft and Sony to end their licensing agreements with Eidos.

Most gamers are familiar with the controversy that has surrounded Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas for the past months. The violent game was used as an example by lawmakers who are worried about the influence these games may have on children. "The last thing we need here in New York is to reinforce a destructive culture of violence and disrespect for the law. Little Johnny should be learning how to read, not how to kill cops," Schumer said. However game makers would argue that these games are not intended for children.

The sale of these "violent" games makes up a huge part of the industries $10 billion in annual U.S. sales. GTA: San Andreas was released in October 2004 and quickly became a best seller. Retailers and console manufacturers try to avoid the controversy of violent games, mainly due to the success of the games. The problema lot of lawmakers have the games is that they seem to get more violent as they go along due to the developers' need to make the games more realistic. 25 to Life features gun battles between police and criminal gangs, in which human shields are used.

The controversy seems very similar to past controversy over violent movies and will likely have a similar outcome.

Source:
Rueters


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    Discuss this article!  There are more user comments available, read them here
    mikeyk (Junior Member) 22 June 2005 23:51 Send private message to this user   
    There is just so many excuses these days. I feel that i have a right to play a mature game if i feel like it. After all it is aimed at adults not damn children!! Doggy would you just like a bunch of scooby-doo and disney games on the market? Cause that just sounds like loads and loads of fun. sarcasm :)
    arcanix (AfterDawn Addict) 23 June 2005 5:46 Send private message to this user   
    Quote:
    Little Johnny should be learning how to read, not how to kill cops
    Quote:
    In the game you can either choose the side of gangs or the side of the law.
    Hey hey, what if little Johnny decides to become a cop?
    Mr_Del (Senior Member) 23 June 2005 5:51 Send private message to this user   
    Yeah they don't seem to care about killing gang members. Just their precious pretty boy cops. So you can kill your friend, brother, mother, neighbors, teachers and mall rats. Whatever you do don't kill a cop. Aren't they people too or did I miss something?

    -Del
    No I am not an anti cop person. I said what I said to make a point.
    ceedee (Newbie) 23 June 2005 7:20 Send private message to this user   
    Hello everyone, i used to live in Detroit where two policeman killed a blackman with a flashlight because he wouldn`t open his hand. they beat him across his head because they thought he had some crack cocaine Police kill people every day in the innercities, and poor neiborhoods. Yet you have people that make so much fuss over a video game. Now i live in Flordia where the police taser young black kids, and handcuff 8 year old little girls in school. If i had the game i would shoot cops in the game 24/7, after all the sh@# i`ve seen cops do and get away with. Pease don`t get me wrong i don`t dislike cops, but they do get away with murder.
    jpp01uk (Senior Member) 23 June 2005 7:25 Send private message to this user   
    oh and by the way from the trailer and screen shots this game looks crap anyway!

    Eidos will be so happy with all the publicity on what looks like a crap game with no plot


    beaters (Junior Member) 23 June 2005 10:31 Send private message to this user   
    I wonder if Schumer owns stock in the company? He sure seems to be handing out free publicity of the kind that sells games.
    Doggy_Bot (Inactive) 23 June 2005 14:31 Send private message to this user   
    Quote:
    Doggy Bot... get out of here. Everybody blasted you in your xbox violent games post.
    @ mikeyk

    1. Ok, well maybe everybody has there own goddamn opinion... don't tell me to get out of here...
    Quote:
    Doggy would you just like a bunch of scooby-doo and disney games on the market? Cause that just sounds like loads and loads of fun. sarcasm :)
    2. I concider you leaving AfterDawn.com Forums cause you are trouble... And take your c***** sarcasm out with you...

    This is what computers and mankind are leading to... --->
    cuteperv (Member) 23 June 2005 19:59 Send private message to this user   
    Violen games dont make people want to kill people. Only the person himself wants to do it can only make himself do it. For example if you are an ethical person who do not want to harm people. After playing "25 to life" or "GTA San Andreas" you are not going to be influenced by the game by going out and kill people. This is completely balony. Well unless you are a bad person who wants to harm other person for your own profit, then yes the game will reinforce your idea more. It will definitely makes you feel like you are not doing anything wrong. What the senator is afraid is only true in half. Little jOhny might have bad influence on him. But when he grows up, he will be whatever he was born to be, not to be whatever the society wants him to be. If he was born to be a good person, playing 25 to life aint gonna make him a killer. This is so overrated.
    Toiletman (Senior Member) 24 June 2005 11:24 Send private message to this user   
    Violent media does desensitize people. Until they see it in real life. I'm an extremely violent person, but there is a HUGE difference between seeing somebody beaten on TV, and seeing someone beaten IRL. Those who have seen it in real life will know what I'm talking about, there's this feeling in my gut that I don't feel when I'm watching TV.

    So, yes it does desensitize people, but only what they think about violence. When they experience it, it's a whole different story.

    Everyone is entitled to their own true opinion. Either respect that or don't.

    Doggy_Bot (Inactive) 24 June 2005 11:56 Send private message to this user   
    I'll believe that...

    This is what computers and mankind are leading to... --->
    Da forum rules!!!:http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/2487
    Halo2/3 chat:http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/143218
    mikeyk (Junior Member) 24 June 2005 13:00 Send private message to this user   
    I think i will stay doggy. Yea im def gonna stay... :)

    later
    mikeyk (Junior Member) 24 June 2005 13:04 Send private message to this user   
    NO M rated games no R rated movies and no violent books. That sounds good to you doesn't it doggy? And don't forget the violent music!!!
    dijon316 (Inactive) 25 June 2005 20:35 Send private message to this user   
    This all comes down to escalation of excitement. What used to thrill before, does not thrill anymore. It is like taking drugs. You start off on something mild which gives you a buzz. After awhile, you no longer get the buzz that you did in the past, so you look for something stronger. At the end, you feel empty. It never completely satifies because it was not supposed to. It is just a temporary thrill. There is good news to this though. Something that can fill you that was meant to fill you and that is a relationship with Jesus Christ. Only by trusting Him can you be truly filled. You may be thinking that I am some kind of nut case, but I have experienced the emptiness after the high intensity games. At first, I am excited to get my hands on the game. After playing it, I lose interest only to feel empty afterwards. You see, Jesus is still working on me. He is showing me that there are more important things in life than games. The satisfaction I get from completing a game pales in comparison to what is to come. So what will be the outcome of gaming. I believe more realism. More violence. All to stimulate the senses. All to keep you away from a relationship with Jesus. If you do not already have a relationship with Jesus, please for your sake search him out via the Bible. Start by reading the book of John and you will not be disappointed. I leave you with a verse from the NIV version of the Bible: "Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever". - 1 Corinthians 9:25. Work for the everlasting crown. You can't go wrong!
    XdjxedxdX (Member) 26 June 2005 10:16 Send private message to this user   
    ok i wanna know why they just pick on some video games and not others that are just as bad if not worse for instance the war video games .now thats something that you would figure would strike up alot of controversy but oddly enough slipped through the cracks especially the game where ya gotta kill the veit kong ummmm i wonder why there was no controversy over that i think if i were veitmenese i would of been one pissed motha hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm? so its ok to teach our kids ta kill someone if there from another country but not ok to kill our own lmfao fu@$in government
    Toiletman (Senior Member) 26 June 2005 11:51 Send private message to this user   
    I want to know how come you don't know how to put fullstops.

    Everyone is entitled to their own true opinion. Either respect that or don't.

    Mr_Del (Senior Member) 26 June 2005 13:08 Send private message to this user   
    That has go to be the longest sentence I have seen on this forum.

    -Del

    AMD64 3200 | ASUS K8N-e Delux | 1 Gig Kingston Hyper X | 120 gig WD SATA | ATI X800 Pro | SONY 2.4x DVD +/- Burner | 19" Sony LCD DVI

    AMD Samperon 2600 | DFI MB | 512 Kingston value | 40 Gig Samsung IDE | ATI Radeon 9600 Pro

    Toshiba Satellite 1905-S
    Wild9 (Junior Member) 26 June 2005 18:24 Send private message to this user   
    "Little Johnny should be learning how to read, not how to kill cops".

    Hang on. Little Johnny isn't playing these games - they have age restrictions on them. If the liberals want to get on the stand and shout to the skies..then why aren't they moaning about the propaganda being taught to little Johnny whilst he is at school? When he switches on a television set?

    Such state-sponsored, self-loathing is just as damaging and has far-reaching consequences for American children.

    Ping. A pin drops..
    XdjxedxdX (Member) 26 June 2005 19:19 Send private message to this user   
    i was going for the record of longest sentence on afterdawn so how'd i do do i win anything lol "I want to know how come you don't know how to put fullstops" whats a "fullstop" is that twice more then a half stop
    runner121 (Inactive) 27 June 2005 7:30 Send private message to this user   
    It's a shame that 25 to Life should get the death
    sentence before we get a chance to play this.I mean
    this looks like one of the best to come along in a while.
    newtod (Newbie) 27 June 2005 22:58 Send private message to this user   
    Mr Cynical here...

    This is a win-win case for the developers and the Sentator. Mucho publicity for the developers and the Senator improves his status.

    I wonder who suggested to the Senator that he should promote...er..I mean target this video game?
    mashee (Newbie) 28 June 2005 22:15 Send private message to this user   
    i don't understand why this is such a "shock" to the media and public. Haven't violent video games been comming out for years and years...things such as counterstrike, tom clancy games and the gta series. Whether it be killing a terrorist or killing a cop...isn't it all just killing??? so why doesn't nacy grace say anything about a terrorist killing a counter-terrorist in cs?
    Mr_Del (Senior Member) 28 June 2005 22:20 Send private message to this user   
    I remember this arcade game from long ago called NARC. You where a police guy going around killing drug thugs. So what is the difference here? Now you can be the tugs killing cops and it is unacceptable. That NARC game had great graphics in its day. I still say it is just a games and will not promote anymore violence than Saturday morning cartoons.

    -Del
    Sledge13 (Newbie) 30 June 2005 16:26 Send private message to this user   
    "Disrespect for the law", huh. I thought the legislature and judiciary had the corners on that one. Gee, next they'll be bitchin about graft and corruption cuz they got the corner on that too. I think a game on killin off all the frigging corrupt politicians and judges is about due to help refine the skills of the next generation for when they finally had enough.
    Sledge13 (Newbie) 30 June 2005 16:31 Send private message to this user   
    I think their just pissed that even a game questions, challenges and supports disrespect and opposition for authority. Oh no! If they get the idea they can kill cops, who's next, us?
    WrapperC (Inactive) 10 July 2005 3:45 Send private message to this user   
    This is typical liberal garbage from a U.S. Senator from a state, NY, stupid enough to elect Hillary Rotten Clinton, having never lived there (no knowledge of the problems of the state) and never hold political position, well elected office anyway, some positions I'm sure were held.
    Schumer is of the opinion that the masses are easily duped and cannot take care of themselves, it is never the criminals fault, it is his influences. IN Washington D.C., it has been said that the most dangerous place in the world is to be standing in between Sen. Chuck Schumer and a T.V. camera. He believes poverty causes crime.
    During the poorest time in the U.S.A., the great depression, the crime rate was the lowest in the nation's history.
    Games and T.V. do not breed crime and violence, it is the breakdown of the U.S. family.
    Exposure to this game will not cause someone to pick up a gun and kill a cop, but a Rolls Royce and good looking women paid for with drug money is another issue.
    runner121 (Inactive) 13 August 2005 7:15 Send private message to this user   
    Cant they think of anything better to do than pick on our games?
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